Ophthalmic illuminators allow a surgeon to illuminate the interior structure of the eye such as the vitreous and the retina during surgical procedures. For example, an endoscopic ophthalmic illuminator (endo-illuminator) includes an optical fiber within the bore of a cannula. By driving a proximal end of the optical fiber with a suitable light source, light emitted from a distal end of the fiber illuminates the desired portion of the eye during a surgical procedure. Alternatively, a physician may illuminate the eye with fiber optic illumination while using an ophthalmic microscope. With the desired portion of the eye sufficiently illuminated, the physician may then perform surgical procedures that may require the use of a vibrating cutting tool such as a ultrasonic handpiece to phaco-emulsify a cataract-clouded lens or an oscillating cutter for vitrectomy procedures.
Despite the presence of ophthalmic illumination, the rapid oscillation for the mechanical cutting tools during such procedures renders significant portions of the operating field blurred with respect to human vision. Not only is the tool itself blurred but the surrounding ocular tissues will also be obscured. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved ophthalmic illuminator for use with vibrating surgical tools.